Tale of A Slayer
by BlueRoseofWinter
Summary: Revised/Edited. AU. Tells of the life and struggles of a different slayer which takes place in the 18th century. Note: I have divided this into five chapters for easier reading. Same story as before. I do not own the cover picture, all credit goes to the artist who made it.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note: Hi and welcome to my story of 'Tale of A Slayer.' It is the same as before, revised and edited. I have broken this story up into five chapters, to make reading a bit easier. This is a story that takes place in the Buffyverse world, but during the 18****th**** century in England. It tells the story of a different slayer character I made up, and the battles she faces, both inner and outer. It is a sad story overall, so don't expect a happy ending in the general sense of the words. This is an alternate universe plot, with all original characters so Buffy and crew do not make any appearances whatsoever. This is rated T for blood and violence. Hope you enjoy. **

**Tale of A Slayer**

**Chapter 1**

The young girl was poised in a battle position. She readied her sword and slashed it at the wooden practice dummy in front of her, her movements quick and precise, methodically bringing her weapon to strike over and over again at the target.

The time period was late 18th century England, the age of the Scientific Revolution. It was a time of scientific discoveries and that of warfare which ravaged throughout Europe. Women's roles in this day were the simple responsibilities of everyday household duties: cooking, cleaning and the like. It was unheard of for a woman to be skilled in the arts of war and yet, the Slayer was the exception.

The Slayer had discovered her calling some time ago, at the mere age of twelve, now aged nineteen. She was bound to a destiny to stave off the various evils which the people of this time were blissfully ignorant about.

The night air was chilly outside, stars sprinkled about in the raven-black sky. The Slayer, Rhianne trained in the private crumbling shack perfecting her fighting skills. Her long red hair whipped about her as she moved, her movements fluid and calculated. Brown eyes, dark like the bark of trees, narrowed in concentration as she relentlessly pushed herself to practice her moves.

In her line of work, there was no room for mistakes or failure. Her very life depended on her ability to fight the darkness that she was chosen to battle against and to protect the innocent. She either fought or died trying. The Slayer she was, champion against the forces of evil, hand-picked by Fate to remove the existence of the very monsters and demons that threatened the whole of humanity. Losing was not an option if she wanted to survive.

In her mind, the memories were still fresh from the painful images which almost constantly shoved their way into her head as she forcefully tried to push them back out of her thoughts. Rhianne could still recall the brutal death of her Watcher at the hands, or claws rather, of the monstrous being, an arch-demon called Borthezedar. Rhianne had tried to save her but was at the time, engaged in combat with a horde of vampires and was unable to get to her in time. Thus, she still felt guilt and pain. These emotions washed over her fully as her mind was drawn back to that unfortunate incident.

_(Flashback)_

"_Rhianne!" a terrified voice called out above the fray. _

_Rhianne stopped for a brief second and froze. Her Watcher Celia, was tightly gripped around the throat, her feet dangling off the ground held in mid-air by Borthezedar. The fear and sheer terror Rhianne saw in Celia's eyes was absolutely heart-wrenching. _

"_Rhianne." Celia whispered softly. _

"_Don't worry Celia, I'm coming!" _

_Rhianne continued kicking out and punching the many vampires that stood between her and her Watcher. The fear Rhianne felt was only matched by her frenzied attacks at the vampires as she struggled to get to Celia in time. She could not, __**would not **__lose her only friend. The only one she felt she could talk to, have decent conversations with, the only one who understood her and her role as the Slayer. The one who had helped her get as far as she had. She owed it to Celia to release her from that monstrosity. If only she could get there in enough time, just maybe…. _

"_Say goodbye to your dear Watcher, Slayer." the demon bellowed. _

_Celia closed her eyes in fright, waiting for the inevitable. Rhianne's attacks became even more fierce and with a final battle cry, she launched out a powerful kick to the last remaining vampire, sending it falling to the ground. She wasted no time and promptly dusted the creature. _

_Just then, a horrified shriek filled the air just as Rhianne looked up. She was ready to dash over to help her friend, when the unthinkable happened. _

"_Noooooooooo!" Rhianne screamed out. _

_The flashback ended. _

Rhianne stood still, breathing heavily as the images faded from her mind. She had gotten to Celia only to witness the foul arch-demon rip off her Watcher's head, blood and gristle spraying everywhere from her untimely demise. The arch-demon was laughing in a deep, guttural tone as he brandished Celia's head in front of him.

Time seemed to stop in that moment for Rhianne. Freezing in utmost horror and shock, she had watched her one and only friend be killed right in front of her. The air around Rhianne was still, dead and lifeless, reminiscent of the gruesome death she had just witnessed. Not knowing what else to do she turned and ran, out of fear and grief, angry tears threatening to fall with each maddened sprint she took. She ran far away from the demon, his laughter in the distance echoing all around the secluded wooded area. He had not bothered to give chase and for that, Rhianne felt immense relief.

Now, as she hacked away at the wooden straw dummy, her eyes began to glisten with unshed tears. Angry at herself for her cowardice, she should have at least tried to fight the arch-demon. Her Watcher deserved at least that. If she had died in the process, so be it. Another slayer would have risen up and taken her place. Now she had to deal with her misery and despair.

Refusing to allow the fear to permeate her mind, she allowed the anger to strengthen and power each movement and thrust of the sword. She could not afford that weakness, not now. Not ever. Not if she wanted to avenge her Watcher's death. Her life was difficult and bloody but most of all, her life was filled with loneliness. A slayer led a very secluded and isolated life; apart from her Watcher she had had no friends and virtually no family. The only family she had was her cold and stern father who was unyielding in his ways and views.

The Watcher's Council had decided to assign Rhianne another Watcher but Rhianne to their surprise, had declined. She was too much in grief over Celia's death and didn't feel ready for another Watcher just yet. Besides she didn't want to be responsible for another person's death as she had already failed Celia. Afraid of events repeating themselves, Rhianne had firmly refused their offer. This was something she had to do alone, to redeem herself and avenge her friend's death. This was the gruesome task she alone must carry out. Celia had taught and trained her well, so Rhianne felt that she was more than ready to confront the foe who had so mercilessly taken Celia's life. All the long, hard hours of training had paid off so Rhianne felt ready to take this final step. Perhaps if Rhianne weren't so stubborn about refusing another Watcher, things might have turned out differently for her in the end. Maybe, maybe not. Fate is sometimes difficult to predict as there are many paths to take, many choices to be made. One small decision could affect something major further on in the long-run. So who could say what Rhianne's ultimate destiny was to be.

As it stands, Rhianne's pain and grief blinded her to the point of acting in a suicidal manner. So hell-bent she was on taking out this arch-demon, she inadvertently sealed her own fate. Her options as a result, were considerably smaller. But Rhianne failed to see this as she relentlessly trained her muscles and body to practice, almost to the brink of exhaustion. But she continued on, never stopping, never faltering. She'd be damned if she let her tiredness get the better of her.

Resolving to wreak vengeance upon the monstrosity that had taken away her one and only friend, she had only one goal in mind. A single purpose, that she vowed to fulfill. Her mission was not easy, nor had it ever been. Destroying this creature was the only thing that drove her onwards nowadays. Nothing else mattered.

Rain started to pour down, soaking the grass; making it gleam in the silver moonlight. Thunder soon followed, the sound of it matching her stance of determination and the emptiness she felt deep inside.

In the blackness of the night, she swore to herself that she would fight and kill Borthezedar or die by his hands. It was a promise to herself that she never abandoned.

XXXX

**A/N: Hope you all liked this first chapter. **


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Here is the second chapter, hope you all enjoy. **

**Chapter 2**

As she stood in the ballroom, Rhianne surveyed the room and the people in it. Garbed in a night-blue gown with wispy lace weaved into the dress, the Slayer was alone amongst the crowd. Feeling apathy and sorrow fill her, she thought about retiring to her bed chamber, change into her Slayer attire and work off the tensions she was feeling by doing some simple slaying. This is what her life consisted of. Normal noble girl by day, Slayer by night. Meaningless household chores during the sunlit hours with ballroom dancing in the early evening, followed by blood and gore in the dark hours of the night is what her day-to-day lifestyle encompassed. The hours she spent fighting were when Rhianne felt the most alive with a purpose, though it was a profession that never ended well. Those dark hours symbolized the utter darkness that was her life. It was a lonely existence indeed.

About to head on over to the stairway, she felt a gentle hand on her shoulder, as a soft, deep voice asked, " May I have this dance, milady?"

Rhianne turned around to see a young man with dark brown hair and gray-colored eyes standing behind her. Wordlessly, she nodded and tried to force a smile on her face as she curtsied. "You may, kind sir." she said, her voice somewhat flat and devoid of emotion.

The gentleman led her to the center of the ballroom and they danced together, the light from the silvery orb of the moon shining through the tall windows framed with ornate drapes. Onward Rhianne danced, her heart not really in the moment as she glided gracefully across the floor.

XXXX

The Slayer was on her nightly patrol.

Moving through the darkened streets, Rhianne held her wooden stake gripped tightly in her hand. In the pack slung over her shoulder she carried extra weaponry: two extra stakes, a vial of holy water and her sword.

She was moving about cautiously, her Slayer senses sharpened and alert, waiting for any disturbance around her to spring her into action. Rhianne quietly stepped over a large, fallen tree branch in her path, muscles taut with anticipation and fierce determination, silently stalking the darkness.

From behind her a twig snapped, its sound reverberating through the cold, starless night. Rhianne whipped around, her stake ready, poised to strike at whatever disturbed the silence. In the corner of her vision, something moved. That something stepped out of the shadows and leapt at her, its movements slick and lithe as a panther in the darkened night. Quickly reacting, the Slayer turned and blocked the attack with her arm and at the same time, kicked out with her foot at her assailant.

The vampire with its sharp, glistening teeth and glowing yellow eyes, hissed and snarled as it fell backwards onto the pavement, its head hitting the ground with a crack! But this did not deter the vampire and it moved to get up. Rhianne didn't give the vampire the luxury of having another attack.

Whirling around in a circle-dance, she whipped out her leg and swiftly knocked it back over onto the ground. The creature staggered before it fell, hitting the cement with a thud. She leapt at it, brandishing her stake. But it must have been expecting this as the vampire rolled out of the way, her stake hitting only empty air.

Seizing the opportunity the vampire lashed out a punch to the Slayer's face, leaving behind a trail of blood that oozed from her lips, a purple bruise starting to form on her delicate features. Rhianne was slightly taken aback, but dodged out of the way as the vampire lunged at her.

She swooped to the ground, legs kicking out in an arc that toppled her opponent. Jumping up, she straddled the vampire and planted the stake into its back, plunging it deep into its black heart. The vampire exploded in a shower of dust which sprinkled about in the night air, the dust swirling round in the glow from the moon before settling to the ground.

Dusting off her clothes and wiping her hands off, the Slayer continued her patrol. A couple more vamps came and she dusted them one after the other, a stake in each hand in quick succession.

As the Slayer stood catching her breath, the cool night air swirling around her with its gentle breeze, a flicker of movement caught her peripheral vision. Turning sharply, her eyes searched about for the threat.

Nothing.

Continuing to survey the area around her, she stood poised, ready to strike at any given moment for several minutes. _Never let one's guard down, _she thought. Seeing nothing, but the hairs raised on the back of her neck said otherwise. Sensing something, Rhianne tried to discern where. Slowly turning she kept her guard up, ready for danger.

Still nothing.

Relaxing only slightly, Rhianne continued walking, eyes flicking this way and that. A dark shape soon appeared, silhouetted in the branches of two trees standing close together. Feeling she was being watched, Rhianne scanned the darkness.

The arch-demon Borthezedar, regarded her with glowing eyes of red coal, his gaze piercing into her. Their eyes met and for one brief second, they stood in a staring match, calculating and sizing the other one up. His red eyes bore into her, as if reading her very soul. Rhianne felt a twinge of nervousness, but gulped it away, blocking out the feeling with a sense of calm collectedness.

Then, as quickly as the arch-demon appeared, he disappeared, fading into the blackness as if he weren't there to begin with. Rhianne started but he had already disappeared before she could move to intercept him. Searching around for him, but with no success she reluctantly gave up.

Sighing heavily, she turned to go in for the night and get some sleep. The red, glowing eyes in the night watched her from a distance as the Slayer made her way across the fields into the small cottage where she stayed with her father.

_Soon, _he thought. _Very soon. The Slayer would meet her fate swiftly as did her Watcher. Just have to bide my time, _he thought darkly as the Slayer receded out of the demon's sight.

XXXX

**A/N: As always, I would love to hear comments on this. A review, critique, comment, criticism, anything that you would like me to know about this chapter and/or the story in general. All I ask is that all comments remain constructive. I spent a lot of time and effort on this, so again any feedback you want to share is more than welcome. Thank you for reading and hope you like the next chapters.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

"One has to wonder what he sees in her." the maid said, who was vigorously brushing Rhianne's long, red hair in front of the gilded, oval-shaped mirror. "I mean, she's not even that pretty. And oh, dear Lord, she's barely of a mind to know when to stop incessantly talking. Not to mention those rumors…"

Rhianne was only half-listening to the constant drabble of her housemaid, who was excitedly chattering on and on with hardly a breath between words. Her mind was on more serious, darker things. Thinking about her stash of weapons which she hid very carefully in a secret compartment behind the dresser that no one knew about, she pondered which ones she should take with her for her nightly patrol. She _**would**_ find this demon and put an end to him.

The maid was still chattering happily away about some town girl and a certain young man the maid obviously had a thing for. Rhianne could care less about the whole thing. Not wanting to appear rude and inattentive, she simply forced a smile on her face and replied, "Yes, I would quite think that she's not his type. Not at all."

"Oh yes, not at all, indeed." the maid gushed away.

Rhianne sighed. Another drab day of listening to the townsfolk and their "enlightened" talks of politics and the like, was enough to make her go insane. She never was much for politics to begin with and the conversations simply bored her to tears. Yet she had to sit like a lady, all right and proper and such, quietly sipping from her teacup and only speak if she had something useful to say. _The townsfolk and their politics, _she thought with a sigh.

Thinking back on her Slayer mission, her expression turned grim. Always would her mind return to that dark task she had to carry out, hardly giving her mind and body any decent rest. Because of this she had dark circles underneath her eyes, which of course the maid had to comment on, the maid rushing over to grab a container of powder and rouge to cover them up. The maid went on and on about how much sleep Rhianne wasn't getting as she applied the powder and rouge carefully and painstakingly to the Slayer's skin.

Rhianne gritted her teeth, jaw clenching slightly, but plastered a fake smile on her face instead swallowing down the words she really wanted to say. Instead, she simply nodded and said some mindless drabble about staying up late reading some epic novel by candlelight, not really focusing on what she was saying. Her mind was too preoccupied with dismal thoughts. And of course, the maid wanted to hear all about said book she was reading.

"Ooh, do tell!" the maid squealed with unrestrained excitement evident in her voice.

Rhianne sighed again. But thankfully her father entered the room, thus sparing her from having to answer the question. Her father ushered out the maid as he said he needed to discuss something important with his daughter. The maid obligingly left. _Thank you, _Rhianne thought silently to her father. She wasn't sure how much more gabbing from the maid she could stand.

Rhianne slowly got up to face her father, her movements graceful and proper. Her father stood in the doorway, looking at her with a somewhat stern expression.

"Yes father?" Rhianne asked, wondering what this was about. Her father usually kept silent unless he really had something of importance to say.

"We are to have a special guest tonight", her father started, looking at Rhianne straight in the eye. "A Sir Greenwald, of one of the higher classes of nobility, is coming for dinner tonight. He seems to have shown a great deal of interest in you and so I would like the both of you to talk and get to know each other better." her father explained, still a slight frown on his hard features. Her father always seemed to have a perpetual frown no matter what the circumstance. It irritated her a little.

Rhianne carefully spoke up. "Yes, father I shall do my best to make him feel welcome in our home." She almost gagged on the words as she said them.

Rhianne had heard of this Sir Greenwald before. He was certainly rich yet extremely pompous and uptight in his behavior. She wondered why he had an interest in her. Her father seemingly satisfied with her response, nodded and left the room.

Rhianne stood there a moment pondering how she would handle having this guest of theirs tonight. Since she had nothing else to do for the day until the evening, she decided to sneak out into the woods and practice her Slayer skills. _One can never be too prepared, _she thought. At the very least it would distract her from the thought of this guest of theirs coming for dinner that night. She _so_ needed a distraction.

After grabbing some weapons and stashing them away in her bag, she quietly slipped out a back window and headed off to the abandoned shack deep in the woods on the outskirts of town.

XXXX

It was the following night.

Rhianne trudged back into her room through the back window of the bedroom, after another night of slaying. Latching the window shut, she proceeded to put away her weapons and get ready for bed.

Thinking back on the previous evening, of their "important" guest, Sir Greenwald, Rhianne tried hard to swallow the feelings being dredged up within her. Sir Greenwald had asked her father's permission for her hand in marriage. Rhianne nearly fell out of her seat at this, but managed somehow to maintain a dignified composure. She didn't particularly like this Sir Greenwald. Yet her father, after some discussion on finances and how it would be of benefit to everyone if the marriage were to proceed, agreed and granted him permission despite Rhianne's meager attempts to object to this. How was she to handle marriage? She didn't feel ready for it and with her role as the Slayer, it would make things complicated to say the least. Rhianne wasn't sure what to do about the whole situation.

_Well, I may not have to worry about it, if I don't survive the confrontation with Borthezedar, _she thought grimly. The idea that she might perish at the hands of this arch-demon downright terrified her. She didn't _want_ to die, yet she knew it came with the Slayer package. _Train, slay, train, slay, die…. _Swallowing hard, she forced the thoughts from her mind and proceeded to get some sleep. _Another restless night, _the Slayer thought bleakly.

Just then, there was a soft knock at her door and Rhianne paused a moment before heading to the door.

"Yes, what is it?" she called out, not really in the mood for conversation.

"Uh, Miss Rhianne? May I come in for a moment? I wish to speak with you." her housemaid Lydia said in a cautious tone.

Rhianne sighed. "Yes, but only for a moment."

The door opened and Lydia walked in, looking quite thrilled at something. "Oh, isn't it wonderful! You marrying Sir Greenwald! He's such a good man. And handsome too!" The maid squealed with delight, sitting in a nearby chair.

The Slayer inwardly groaned. _Not now, _she thought agitated.

"Oh, how I wish I were you!" the maid went on, oblivious to Rhianne's discomfort.

_No you don't, _Rhianne thought with a measure of grim despondency. _My life is not the kind of life you would want for yourself, _she mused remorsefully. "Lydia, it's late and I would like to get some sleep." Rhianne faked a yawn and proceeded to go to her dresser mirror to brush her hair.

"Oh, but of course. I apologize, Lady Rhianne." the maid quickly backed out and left, leaving Rhianne alone with her thoughts.

Rhianne let out a heavy sigh. Changing out of her garments, she undressed for bed. Getting underneath the covers, she blew out the bedside tallow candle and promptly closed her eyes. _What if my life were different?, _she contemplated. _What if I were not the Slayer? Would I be happier? Would I be just like all the other women in town? _Normal and without the knowledge that her days in this life were numbered, as any moment, any mistake on her part, any calculated move of the enemy she failed to anticipate, could mean her death?

She would have pondered more about these gloomy realizations but exhaustion then set in and soon the Slayer was sound asleep, the inky blackness of restful repose cradling her in its depths.

XXXX

**A/N: Please review!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Author's Note: The story is picking up more and more so there will be more action soon. Hope everyone enjoys, and don't forget to leave a comment. **

**Chapter 4**

_(Flashback)_

_Kneeling in front of her Watcher's grave, Rhianne brushed back tears of sorrow from her face. The cool, morning air brought with it a slight breeze, but Rhianne hardly noticed. Her mind was focused on the tombstone in front of her. Her eyes glistened with tears as she silently read the inscription on the headstone. _

"_In Memory of Celia Baker, _

_Beloved Friend and companion to all. _

_Pure of heart, a helping hand she lent,_

_Will be dearly missed. _

_1749-1782_

_Rest In Peace."_

_Rhianne's hands shook slightly as she finished reading the words engraved there. It had been nearly four months since that tragic event and she still had not gotten over her despair. _

"_If only I could have gotten there in time…" Rhianne murmured softly. _

_Her hand went to the top of the headstone and rested there a moment, thinking. "I'm sorry I couldn't save you." Rhianne whispered in a low voice. "I'm sorry that I left you there. I'm so sorry….." _

_She broke down in sobs, shoulders shaking violently. After a time, her sobs lessoned and she looked up with a determined face. "I __**WILL**__ avenge your death, Celia, I promise you that. He will pay for what he has done. I won't rest until he is no more. I will have my revenge and you will too." Rhianne paused a moment, her eyes closed in contemplation. "He will pay sooner or later. Rest in peace, my dear friend. Rest in peace." _

_With that, Rhianne stood up wiping away her tears. She started walking back home, but then turned one last look over her shoulder at Celia's final resting place. Determination set in and Rhianne walked back, a glint in her eyes. She walked sadly, yet with purpose in her steps. With that mission in mind, Rhianne's future looked very dark and foreboding indeed. _

XXXX

Rhianne was nervous. She didn't want to admit it to herself, but she was. Finally her quest was coming to an end. She could _feel _it in her bones. Dread. And fulfillment. They filled her senses, almost distracting her from her patrolling. But almost.

Stalking through the woods she crept about like a tiger, searching about the area with her Slayer senses. She was getting close. She could _taste_ it almost. The confrontation with Borthezedar was near.

Onward she moved and only then became aware of a slight foreboding in the atmosphere. It was so subtle that any normal person would not have noticed it but as the Slayer, Rhianne felt it slowly creeping over her.

Turning about, she searched the area carefully. _He's near, _she thought, a twinge of fear coming over her but she forced the feeling away and instead, replaced it with a calm assuredness. Rhianne let the feeling spread through her, granting her strength and purpose. Because hell, she would need it.

Sensing a presence behind her, the Slayer sharply turned, holding her sword at the ready. The demon, Borthezedar, stood there in the shadowy mists of the trees, watching her. His cold, gleaming eyes, like that of burning embers, watched her with a cruel glint to them.

Rhianne froze, hand on her sword. They stood there awhile, staring at each other, the enemy before them, until finally Borthezedar spoke in a deep, guttural tone.

"I've been expecting you, Slayer." the demon growled out.

Rhianne stood there not saying a word, ready to strike when the moment called for it.

"No words? How disappointing." the arch-demon said, eyes glowing like fire. "No matter. You will be dead soon enough."

Rhianne then spoke. "No, it is YOU who will die." she snarled out, gritting her teeth. "You will pay for what you did to my friend, my Watcher. I will not rest until you are no more." she ground out the words through her teeth.

"Then you will die." the demon said, looking amused. "Say hello to your precious Watcher for me in death, little one. I so love reunions."

And with that, the demon pounced.

The fighting was fierce.

Rhianne leapt out of the way of the demon's claws that were aiming straight for her throat. She back flipped over him and swiped at the demon which he easily blocked her attack ramming his fist into her, sending her flying into the tree behind her. She hit the tree with a thud! almost blacking out at the intensity of the blow. She sat there dazed somewhat, but Rhianne would not give in that easily.

Springing up to her feet, she dodged out of the way of the demon as he once again attempted to slit her throat with his sharp claws. Rhianne lashed out with her sword, propelling her weight into the attack. The sword punctured demon flesh, but it only seemed to nick him slightly.

With that, he moved and punched the Slayer hard in the face, drawing blood from her. He licked some of the blood from his claws as Rhianne attempted another assault at the demon. The demon didn't let her. Soon, she was flying through the air again, landing on her back. The air _whooshed _out of her and she gave a sharp intake of breath. _That hurt, _she thought as she struggled to get up. The demon was on her in less than a second.

He back-handed her across the face again as she attempted to swing her weapon at his arm, intending to hack it off. Intense pain shot through her as she felt her nose break, blood gushing down her face. She coughed and hacked and tried dodging out of the demon's way. Rhianne didn't quite make it.

The demon grabbed her around the throat and squeezed. Hard. He held her up in the air as she attempted to break loose. She felt her windpipe starting to yield and feebly tried to scratch out the demon's eyes, but to no avail. Her vision was starting to get hazy. _He's too strong, _she thought in panic as she tried to think clearly of what to do. Dark spots swam in front of her eyes as the blackness started to close in. As a last resort, she made a claw with her right hand and drove it into the demon's left eye. The demon roared in pain and promptly dropped her, his grip on her now gone. Rhianne did not waste any time as the demon was making another move at her. In fear for her life, she did the only thing she could.

She ran.

Far away she ran. She could hear the demon coming after her. Dodging into the shadows of some bushes, she hid in fear. The demon looked about for her, roaring with extreme rage and pain. His roars filled the woods and shook the ground. Rhianne trembled as she knew what would happen if he found her. Tenderly, she rubbed her throat and held her nose to staunch the bleeding. Trying to remain as quiet as possible, so Borthezedar would not hear her. For what seemed like hours she hid and waited, the demon lashing about, bellowing out hateful curses and raging fury.

Finally, he gave up and disappeared. Rhianne waited awhile to make sure it was not a trap, that he wouldn't reappear, then she ran the rest of the way home, her heart beating rapidly in her chest.

XXXX

Rhianne's hands shook as she bandaged up her wounds. _He almost finished me, _she thought, trembling. This started to anger her. This was the _second time _she had ran away from him. Her cowardice seemed to know no bounds.

Out of frustration and anger she punched the mirror in front of her, shattering it into tiny, jagged pieces. She hissed, drawing in air. Hoping that the sound wouldn't awaken everyone, she froze waiting for any sign of noise.

There wasn't any.

Letting out a deep breath, she finished bandaging herself and tending to her wounds. Every part of her ached. She had barely managed to get away. For a brief second, she wondered if she should have just let the demon kill her. _Stop it, Rhianne, _she thought to herself harshly. _I will __**not **__be that weak! _she reprimanded herself.

A moment passed and Rhianne pondered her next move. Showing her face to everyone was obviously not an option. She had to get away for a time. And she knew just the place.

XXXX

Rhianne paced around the room. It was now starting to get light out, the sun rising up on the horizon, golden orange bars starting to show. Standing at the doorway to the dilapidated shack, she watched the sunrise. It seemed to symbolize a new beginning to her. It sparked within her a bit of hope. But it was fleeting as the feeling soon passed, to be replaced with dread as deep as a black pit of doom.

Rhianne briefly recalled a conversation that she had had with Celia when she was still alive.

"_Never let fear get the better of you. It dulls the senses, makes one's movements unsteady, makes one unfocused. Instead, focus on what gives you strength. Let that feeling spread through you, empowering you, granting you courage and purpose. You will need that to destroy even the most deadliest of foes." _Celia had explained to her. _"Always be on your guard." _

Rhianne had responded to that with a nod. _"I know you're right, Celia. As always, you are right. I will definitely keep that in mind and strive not to let negative emotions overwhelm me." _

They had conversed for awhile that day, talking and sometimes laughing with one another about this and that. Rhianne had felt a true friend in her, someone she could always confide in. She had always appreciated her advice, her support and her friendship. Celia had trained her well and Rhianne vowed to show her that, even in death. Even though Celia was gone, Rhianne still had a duty to fulfill. As the Slayer, she always had a duty to fulfill.

Her mind returned back to the present, carrying a newfound sense of strength within her being. She stepped outside in the cool, morning air, the breeze ruffling through her red locks, making them gleam in the approaching daylight. Her wounds would heal soon enough. As the Slayer, she was blessed with fast healing ability. Part of the whole Slayer deal.

For a while Rhianne stood there watching the sunrise, its golden rays spreading throughout the sky, erasing away the dark night and the fear that went with it. It was quite serene, gazing at the spectacular golden light show in the distance.

And for just a moment, Rhianne felt at peace.

XXXX

**A/N: Next is the last chapter and the conclusion of the story. Again, comments are appreciated on what you think. Comments don't need to be epic in length, just a simple acknowledgment is good too. Stay tuned. **


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Here it is, the final chapter. Hope it doesn't disappoint. Read on to find out the conclusion to Rhianne's struggles with the arch-demon. Will she prevail or will she meet her demise? Only one way to find out. Enjoy. **

**Chapter 5**

Rhianne reached up to touch her nose. Wincing a bit, she pulled her hand away. It had been two days since that encounter with Borthezedar. The rest of her wounds had healed up but her nose was still somewhat tender as it was sore to the touch.

Rhianne looked toward the open door of the shack where she had camped out the last couple of days. It was dark now. The sun had already set. She couldn't have gone home as her injuries would have raised too many questions. Questions she couldn't answer. So she was forced to wait out in the shack until she had healed. Her stomach grumbled in hunger. The last time she had eaten was before her patrol and encounter with the arch-demon those two days ago.

Rhianne stood up slowly from her spot on the wooden floor of the shack. The Slayer felt it was now time to end this once and for all. No backing down this time. He would die or she would. It was as simple as that.

Doing a few training warm-ups, the Slayer then grabbed her sword and a couple of throwing daggers, along with a well-sharpened stake. The stake would not help against the demon as it was in case she ran into any vampires while on her way.

Proceeding outside, Rhianne took a deep breath. A feeling of dread was rising up within her. Something was going to happen tonight. Something bad. Rhianne ignored these feelings and tried to breathe some measure of calmness into her being instead. It wouldn't do to get all shaky now. She proceeded on.

Walking a half-mile, she encountered no hostilities as of yet. _Interesting, _she thought. That feeling of dread tried to force its way back to her but Rhianne brushed it off as if it were some annoying, pesky bug.

Soon the Slayer reached a clearing in the woods. She remembered this area. _This was where… _She gulped back some bile rising in her throat. This was where her Watcher had been killed. Murdered, in front of her very eyes.

Her mind once again, flashed back to that horrible event.

"_Rhianne!" Celia her Watcher, had cried out. _

"_Don't worry Celia, I'm coming!" _

_Rhianne ferociously kicked, ducked and punched her way through the throng of vampires blocking her route to Celia and the demon, who was still holding her Watcher by the throat. Rhianne felt panic rising within her but tried to remain calm, not wanting her fear to control her. Celia's life depended on this. _

_With a final battle cry, Rhianne took out the last bloodsucking fiend and turned then to help her friend and Watcher. Only she was too late. _

"_Nooooooooo!" _

Regaining her senses, Rhianne's mind came rushing back to the present. She took a deep breath to compose herself. Rhianne listened around her, straining to hear any sound out of the ordinary in the deep woods. The air was quiet. _Too _quiet, she felt. Taking another deep breath, the Slayer took a step forward. The atmosphere had an ominous feel to it. It was if the trees around her were saying run! _Run, Slayer, run! _Rhianne swallowed hard.

A deep, guttural laugh sounded behind her. "You have come back, I see." the demon rumbled.

Rhianne whirled around, her gaze meeting that of glowing, red angry coals in a hideous countenance.

"You just don't give up. I might actually admire that if I weren't trying to kill you." the arch-demon Borthezedar rumbled in that deep, growling voice of his. "Oh, but I will make this quick." he added in, "I will enjoy watching the life bleed out of you, you drowning in a pool of your own blood. There is no getting away this time."

Borthezedar lunged at her then. She dodged out of the way and twirling around in a circle, Rhianne launched out with her sword and slashed it at the demon. The demon easily caught the tip of the sword and before Rhianne could register it, he yanked the weapon out of her hands and pointed it straight at her. Rhianne gulped. This was not good. This was an unexpected turn of events. Good thing she brought her throwing daggers at least.

The demon laughed, the sound of it reverberating off the trees.

Rhianne rolled sideways and flipped a safe distance from him. Quickly grabbing one of her daggers, she flung it towards the demon. It embedded itself in the demon's side, but he barely flinched. This was _so _not good. A sense of fear settled over her and no matter how hard she tried, she could not dispel the overwhelming feeling.

The demon grabbed hold of the dagger and yanked it out, greenish-black blood spilling forth from the small wound it had made. He tossed it aside behind him, grinning malevolently. It was a scary sight to say the least.

They circled round each other, gauging their next move, sizing the other one up, trying to find a weakness with which to strike. The demon suddenly lashed out, but Rhianne expertly avoided it, feinting to the side and rolling sideways into a crouch. Springing back up on her feet, they continued circling round each other.

The demon then tried to hit her with his huge clawed hand, but Rhianne ducked out of the way and attempted to topple her opponent onto the ground. The demon stumbled but kept his stance. He kicked out viciously at the Slayer, sending her reeling back to the ground.

Jumping up quickly, she cart wheeled out of the way of the next attack from the demon with her sword he was wielding. _HER _sword. Anger started to rise within her, fueling her strength. Yelling out a battle cry, she kicked out with her foot at the arch-demon. It seemed to take the demon somewhat off-balance, but not enough. Not nearly enough.

The demon laughed again. "You will die, Slayer. You cannot best me."

Rhianne whirled around in a circle-dance but he grabbed a handful of her hair and threw her to the ground some distance away, like she was nothing but a rag doll. Rhianne felt something jab into her painfully. A long thin branch protruded from the ground, impaling her side. She cried out in pain and coughed up blood.

The demon was already upon her. He raked his claws across her face, leaving deep, bloody gashes across her cheeks and nose. She tried to get up but the demon backhanded her. Again. And again. Blackness crept around her vision and she could barely see anything anymore through the black haze and the blood that streamed in torrents from her face.

He backhanded her one last time and just before the darkness engulfed her, she thought she saw the demon raise the blade of her sword. _Her _sword. Her eyes widened with terror. _I'm going to die, _she thought. _I'm going to die. _

Just as soon as she thought those words, the demon rammed the sword straight into Rhianne's still beating heart. Screams echoed out across the forest. _So much pain, _she could barely think. The blood pooled out from under her, a bright red carpet against the forest floor. Sounds started to fade away as the rush of blood filled her ears.

The demon was laughing gutturally, but she could barely hear him. The pain started to ebb and soon Rhianne felt only numbness. The world faded away, slowly but surely. She thought she could see a bright white light far off in the distance just before the blackness took her, the light fading from her eyes.

The Slayer now lay in a pool of her own demise, red blood spilling out everywhere and soaking into the ground. The demon had left her there to die, her sword laying beside her, drenched with her own blood.

Thunder rumbled off in the distance and torrents of rain poured down in buckets. A wolf howled somewhere far off, a mournful howl. The Slayer lay on the ground, face white, eyes glassy, arms outstretched by her sides. A cold wind blew as somewhere else in the world, the next Slayer was called to take up the fight.

XXXX

**THE END**


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